


that's what friends are for

by WinterSabbath



Series: Frostiron Bingo 2019 [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Asgardian Tony Stark, Cute Kids, Fluff, Friendship, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Kid Fic, Kid Loki, Kid Tony Stark, M/M, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 20:04:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20215495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSabbath/pseuds/WinterSabbath
Summary: Little Prince Anthony of Asgard goes to the stables and runs into Loki, a young palace slave, and Loki is not impressed.





	that's what friends are for

**Author's Note:**

> bingo square I4, prompt: kid au

Anthony grinned as he ran past the guards who knew no better. He had just learned the invisibility spell two days ago and he couldn’t stop using it. It was the most helpful spell his tutor had taught him so far and it was so much fun.

He bumped into a pillar and yelped softly. He still didn’t know a spell to make sure he wasn’t heard. He would have to ask his tutor later on.

Once he was sure he wasn’t _that _hurt, Anthony bounded over to the stables, wanting to try to ride a horse. He was already eight years old and yet his parents would not allow him to ride a horse yet. He didn’t know why. He was sure he was old enough.

When he slowly opened a stable door, a loud ‘hey!’ came from the other side. Curious, Anthony opened the door further and saw another boy around the same height as him but _blue_. The boy looked straight through him with a frown. “Who is there?”

It took Anthony awhile to realize he was still invisible. He turned off the spell and appeared out of thin air.

“Hi!” he said excitedly, glad to see someone that was around his age. He rarely saw anyone around his age _or _height in the palace.

“What are you doing here?” the boy snapped, waving a sponge in front of Anthony. He seemed to be cleaning the horse.

Anthony raised an eyebrow at the boy’s irritated tone and folded his arms. “You are rude.”

“You should not be here,” the boy grumbled, turning around and going back to the horse.

“Hey!” Anthony said, not used to being treated like this. Everyone usually doted over him. “I’m the prince, you know?” 

The boy looked back at him again and his red eye twitched in irritation. “Does it look like I care?”

“You should.”

“I do not.”

“But you should,” Anthony insisted. He walked forward and motioned at the horse. “Why are _you _cleaning him? He’s so big!”

The boy looked ready to throw the sponge towards Anthony’s face. “It was the task given to me.”

“You speak funny,” Anthony pointed out, sitting down on a crate right beside the boy.

“Can you leave?”

“Why are you blue?”

“Why do you have so many questions?”

Anthony scrunched his face in concentration as he tried to remember what race was blue. He barely saw blue people around the palace. His mother used to say something about most of them being in _glamour_ to look like Aesir. After awhile he finally got it.

“Jotunheim! You’re from Jotunheim!” he exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the crate, “That’s so _cool_.”

The boy glanced at him with a frown, dipped the sponge into the bucket beside him, squeezed it then looked back at Anthony. “Cool?”

“Yeah! I’ve never been to Jotunheim _ever_. Or to any other realm. I always want to go with my parents when they travel to other realms but they say I’m too young,” Anthony pouted. Then he perked up. “What’s Jotunheim like?"

“It no longer exists,” the boy remarked bitterly.

“What?” Anthony laughed, “A realm can’t stop existing! That’s impossible. It’s too big!”

“It was certainly not _too big_ for your parents,” the boy spat. He squeezed the sponge in his hand even tighter and began scrubbing the horse’s leg. He seemed to be doing it to distract himself.

Anthony faltered at his new friend’s words. “What do you mean?”

“Are you stupid?” the boy asked.

“No,” Anthony huffed. His tutors said he was a genius, _thank you very much. _“My parents would never destroy a realm.”

“Well, they destroyed mine.”

“Is... is that why you’re here?”

The boy glared at him and then tilted his head so his neck was exposed. There was a black band wrapped around it. “Do you think I am here for vacation?”

“Not really...” Anthony mumbled softly. He got off the crate. “So... you’re not here to earn gold?” His mother always told him the servants of the palace were here by choice. _They volunteered to be here to earn gold _she would always say when he asked why anyone would willingly be here. 

The boy snorted. “You are extremely naïve. I have no use for gold with my realm destroyed. I am a slave.”

“Don’t use that word!” Anthony gasped in horror. Jarvis, his personal servant _and _friend told him that _slave _was not a kind word.

“It is what I am,” the boy said, tilting his head, “Why would I deny it?”

“It’s not... you aren’t... ugh!” Anthony tugged at his messy hair, not sure of what to say anymore. He could not believe that his parents would destroy a whole realm and keep its people as... slaves. Surely they were not that cruel, right? Of course, Anthony was never close with his own parents and he _did _share a closer bond with Jarvis. But still.

“Perhaps you should leave,” the boy said after a moment of silence passed between them.

Anthony strained his ear and could hear the sound of bells ringing. It was time for dinner. He frowned, not wanting to end his conversation with the boy. But he knew he had to.

He was halfway out of the stable when he turned back around. “Wait! What’s your name?”

The boy raised an eyebrow, hesitated then said, “I am Loki.”

“I’m Anthony,” Anthony smiled and reached out his hand, “It’s nice to finally have a friend, Loki.”

Loki cautiously shook his hand. “Friend...?”

“Yeah! And since we’re friends, I promise I’ll talk to my parents about your home. Maybe we can fix it..."

“Why would you do that?”

“Because we’re friends!”

Loki frowned at that but nodded stiffly. Not wanting to leave things on too awkward a note, Anthony moved forward and pulled Loki into a tight embrace, noting how cold the skin was.

“Where do you stay?” Anthony asked.

Loki looked at him strangely. “Why?”

“So I can see you again,” Anthony huffed. The answer was so obvious, why was Loki acting so confused?

“I sleep at the slave’s quarters...” Loki said slowly.

“Great! I’ll see you around then,” Anthony grinned. The bells rang again and he began to take a few steps back. “I have to go. Bye! And good luck with the horse.”

“Goodbye,” he heard Loki say quietly before he ran out of the stables and back to the palace, using the invisibility spell again.

He was by the entrance when he realized he was never able to ride a horse.

Making a new friend seemed far better, though.

\--- --- --- 

The servant’s quarters were so cramped and there were plenty of servants that have taken to sleeping on the floor. Anthony did not like it and made a mental note to tell his parents that it would probably be better if the servants were given more room. It wasn’t like the palace was _lacking _in room.

He found Loki sleeping in the corner, beside another Jotun like himself. Anthony smiled and tapped Loki’s thigh. “Psst, Loki,” he whispered, “Psst!”

The woman beside Loki roused out of her sleep and looked at Anthony. Her eyes widened when she recognized him. “Prince Anthony!” she half yelled and half whispered

That caused several more servants to stir around them and Anthony internally groaned. He just wanted Loki to wake up.

The servants began to wake each other up and were all gazing at him like he shouldn’t be here. Well, they were right. He gave them a sheepish wave.

“Hi.”

“Your Highness, what are you here for?” a servant to his left said.

Anthony motioned at a _still _sleeping Loki. “I’m just here to see a friend. Can you pretend I was never here?”

The woman beside Loki shook Loki awake and he mumbled something before opening his eyes. Anthony smiled at him and stood up.

“Come on!”

Loki sat up, eyes wide when he realized everyone in the room was looking at them. “What are you doing?”

“I told you I’d see you around. Let’s go! It’s near sunrise.” Anthony pulled Loki’s arm so that the other boy stood up as well. He glanced back at the rest of the servants. “It’s nice to meet you all!” then he tugged Loki out of the room and made them both invisible.

“What are you doing?” Loki repeated. Then added, “Where did you go?”

Anthony blindly reached out for Loki’s invisible hand and smiled. “I want to spend time with my friend, of course.” 

**Author's Note:**

> how's it?


End file.
